Extensible car-step.



J. P. DEIMLING.

EXTENSIBLB GAR STEP.

APPLIoATIoN FILED JUNE 11.1913.

1,088,681. Patented M3113, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. P. DEIMLING.

EXTENSIBLE GAR STEP.

APPLwATIoN FILED. JUNE 11,1913.

1,088,681 Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET z.

COLUMBIA PLANQGRMM ca, wnsrllNn'rON, n. c.

Unilnn l srarns PATENT onirica.,

JOHN P. DEIMLING, OF CLARION, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO WALTER GRAHAM, OF CLARION, PENNSYLVANIA.

EXTENSIBLE CAR-STEP.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHN P. DniMLINc-i, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clarion, in the county of Clarion and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Extensible Car- Steps, of which the following' is a specification.

This invention relates to car steps, and pertains especially to means for operating extensible steps for passenger railroad cars.

The object of the invention is to provide special mechanism attachable to car platforms and steps in common use, for operating an extensible step either in connection with or independent of a vestibule car door, without interfering with the open locked position of such door, or with the top or plat` form door.

A further object of the invention is to proi vide special arrangement and connection of levers for operating an extensible step and its riser, and to furnish a step follower' lever operated by said levers.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a special hinge construction for connecting the extensible stepwith its riser and the latter with the ordinary steps.

Various other objects, advantages, and im-` proved results will be found in the practical application of the invention. n

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this application: Figure 1 1s a top view of part of a car platform showingv the application of the invention to a Pullman car,the dotted lines showing the mov-` able position of the parts. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the car door closed and the extensible step retracted. Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the door open and the step extended. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a portion ofthe step, and its riser separated, showing the hinged construction. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective viewof the follower lever. Fig. 6 is a rear view showing the shaft attachments. Fig. 7 is an elevation, partly broken away, showing a modification for operating the extensible step independent of a car door.

The same reference characters denote `the same parts throughout the several views of the drawings. p

The invention being applicable to any of the common form of car steps, such steps 1,

platform 2 and vestibule door 3, having the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 11, 1913.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914. Serial No. 773,065.

usual latch il, coperat-ing with a catch 5, on the casing 6, as shown in the drawings, are only used to exemplify the invention, the trap door being omitted.

Ylt is well known, that one of the principal purposes of supplemental car steps is to obviate the use of hand stools or portable box steps, that it is most desirable to have the supplemental steps carried by the ordinary steps in such position as to ride clear of any possible track interference, and that it is essential to have the construction and arrangement of means for operating the supplemental steps as to avoid interference with the usual devices and mechanism carried under and by car platforms. These purposes and functions arc attainable under this invention now to be described in detail.

A shaft 8 is mounted on the under side of the platform 2, by means of journal bearings 9. A lever 10 is secured to the inner end of the shaft 8 and projects upwardly through a slot 11 in the platform 2. The lever 10 is connected with the door 3 by means of a connecting rod 12, so that the swinging movement of the door will impart a rocking movement in the lever 10, for rocking the shaft 8. A bowed lever 13 is secured to the other end of the shaft 8, and depends therefrom, and is fulcrumed with a lever 14 by means of a stop joint l5, for limiting the .forward movement of the fulcrumed end 0f the levers 13 and 14. The lever 14 is pivoted at 1G, to the supplemental or extensible steps 17. A hanger 18 is secured at 19, to the back of the lower or ordinary step-riser 1, and projects rearwardly and downwardly therefrom, for the purposes hereinafter fully explained. A bell-crank lever 20 is fulcrumed at 21 to the end of the hanger 18, and has a free end 21a riding on the step 17, .so as to follow the swinging movement of the step 17. Said follower or end 21, engages the under side of the step 17 during the raising movement of the step 17 so as to assist in such movement and also to form additional means for holding said step in retracted position, the said step being held and controlled in its movement by the car door 3. The lever 20 is connected with the lever 13 by an arm 22, which is pivoted with said le` vers at 23 and Q4 respectively.

The extensible step 17 and the connection thereof with its riser 25 and the latter with the ordinary step 1, have special hinge construction which will now be described in detail.

A hinge plate 26 is secured to the under side of the lower of the steps 1, and the upper edge of the riser 25 is hinged thereto. The lower edge of the riser 25 has stopianges 27 projecting from the lugs 28 which have a hinge-rod hole 29, and said lugs are separated by slots 30. The rear edge of the step 17 is composed of a series of alternating slots 31 and projections 32. The project-ions 32 project at right angles to and above the tread face of the step 17, and are provided with a hinge-rod hole 33. This construction oH-sets the hinge pivot or rod 33a above the face of the step 17 and above the faceof the riser 25, so that when the step and riser are opened or extended, the iianges 27 abut against the bottom of the slots 30 and stop further open movement. Obviously such hinge construction forms a lock between the step and its riser when they are in extended position, and thereby braces the step in horizontal position.

Referring to the modification shown in Fig. 7, the device is operated by a .hand lever 34, instead of a rod connection with a door, and said lever is held in position for extending or retracting a supplemental step by.

means of a bar 35 having notches 36, for the said lever. This arrangement is adaptable for ordinary coaches which have no vestibule or platform doors, otherwise the mechanism is the same as that hereinbefore described, wherein the extensible step is operated by opening and closing the vestibule door.

It will be seen that the step is extended and retracted and the step riser raised and lowered automatically and simultaneously with the opening .and closing of the door, so that when the door is in open position the step is fixed in extended position, and when the door is closed the step is fixed in retracted position, the door being held in said positions by the usual and ordinary attachments. It will also be observed that the lever and the rod connection with the door will not interfere with the open position of the door, nor with the trap door, nor with exit or entrance through the door way. It will be further observed that the arrangement of the mechanism and its connections are such as to closely follow the incline or pitch of the steps, so that said mechanism may not interfere with any of the usual devices and mechanism carried under or by the car platforms, and that the invention is applicable to any of the usual type of railway car steps.

I do not wish to be understood as confining or limiting my invention to any particu- Y lar size, material, or mechanical details in the construction and application thereof, but reserve to myself the right to malte such changes and variations therein as may come within the scope of the appended claims,

without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new Vand desire to secure by Letters Patent. is a 1. An extensible car step, and means for operating the step, comprising a vertical lever having an upper end adapted to be' given swinging movement parallel with the end of a car, a pair of levers having a stopjoint fulcrum, one lever of said pair being pivoted to the extensible step, and means for pivotally connecting the other lever of said pair with the lower end of the vertical lever.

2. In means for operating extensible steps of vestibule cars, an extensible step, a riser hinged to the step, aplurality of connected levers connecting said step with the outer vestibule doors so that the opening and closing of the doors will extend and retract said step, and a bell-crank lever connected with said levers and having a free end following s the movement of said step in engagement therewith.

3. An extensible car step, and means for simultaneously operating the step and a laterally swinging vestibule car door, comprising a vertical lever adapted to rock parallel with the end of a car, a horizontal rod having one end pivoted to the lever and the other end pivoted to the door for rocking the lever, and means for pivotally connecting the other end of the lever with the extensible step so that the opening and closing of the door will extend and retract the step.

f1. The combination, with passenger .car steps, an extensible step, and a swinging riser connecting the extensible step with the car steps, of a pair of fulcrumed levers one of which is pivoted to said step,- a-shaft having the other of said levers secured thereto, a lever for rocking the shaft, and a lever pivotally connected with one of thelevers of said pair and having a free end working against the bottom of the extensible step.

5. The combination, with passenger car steps, an extensible step, and a 'swinging riser connecting the extensible step with the car steps, of a shaft j ournaled on the under side of the car platform, a lever'attached" to the shaft and projecting upwardly through the platform, a bowed lever lhaving one end attached to the shaft and depending therefrom, a lever pivoted to the said step and fulcrumed to the othery end of the bowed lever, a bell-crank lever having a free endl upon which the step rides, and a bar pivotally connecting the bell-crank' lever with the bowed lever.

6. The combination, with passenger car steps, of an extensible step having hinge slots, and hinge projections extending above the tread face of the step, a step riser having hinge slots, and stop anges projecting from the edge4 ,thereof 'and fitting` Athe step slots for limiting the open movement of the said stops coperating for limiting the ex- 10 step, a hinge plate secured to the bottom of tensible movement of the riser and the step, the car steps, and hinge-rods for connecting and means for operating the step.

the step, the riser and the plate. In Witness whereof I hereunto set my 7 The combination with stationary car hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

steps7 of a riser having stops on the hinge JOHN P. DEIMLING.

edges thereof and hinged to the stationary Witnesses:

steps, an extensible step having stops on the CHARLES SUHOLZER, ff

hinge edge thereof and hinged to the riser, HENRY KRIEGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Pstents, Washington, D. 0. 

